Tribal art remains
one of the least inflated of all major art categories and very
fine pieces can be often obtained for not much more than the cost
of some good prints or drawings.

The May 6,
1998 auction at Sotheby's has a couple of major museum quality
objects, such as the Dogon statue at the right, but it also has
a wide range of interesting and good works that carry quite reasonable
estimates.

The Dogon
statue, Lot 110, is 29 1/2 inches high and has an estimate of
$150,000 to $250,000. It is likely to go a bit higher as its condition
is superb, the carving, especially of the face, marvelous and
its provenance, literature and exhibition history excellent. The
piece once belonged to James Johnson Sweeney, and was first published
in 1927 and was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in 1935
and the Musee Dapper in Paris in 1994.

The auction
catalogue notes that "this exceptional example of Dogon carving
is one of the true icons of African art." Apart from its
"exceptionally fine encrusted dark brown patina," the
piece is distinguished by its helmet-shaped head with pendant
beard and notched lips framed by notched eyes and triangular ears,
and by a torso "carved as a triangle with five pierced loops
ascending the back." Including the buyer's premium, the
piece, surprisingly only fetched $151,000, still a respectable
amount.

An even more
remarkable piece is Lot 100, a superb Mende female figure that
is 35 inches tall and has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000.
Like the Dogon piece, this statue has a fine dark patina.

What is extraordinary
about it is its extremely sinuous lines and pose. With her delicate
arms held at her back above "shelflike buttocks," the
work has an imperial grace and poise. The figure is bolt straight
with large, full protruding breasts and a head tilted slightly
back atop an elongated neck with four stacked rings. The face
has a high forehead but a receding chin and small features beneath
a highly stylized coiffure.

Elie Nadelman
would have gasped at this spectacular work that is so much better
than his best work! Indeed, its subtlety is astounding and makes
one rethink many notions of tribal art.

The catalogue
quoted a book on "Art of the mende from Sierra Leone"
that large sculptures of women like this "are reputedly used
by women diviners of the Yassi society." "The Yassi
society, as reported by travellers at the end of the last century,
was a secret society common to both the Mende and Sherbro,"
it continued. "These figures were already described by Volz
in 1907 and by Alldridge in 1901. This Mende figure is part of
the group which were undoubtedly carved feofre the turn of the
present century," the catalogue maintained.

Half a million
dollars would not be surprising for a work like this. It sold
for $96,000.

Less elegant
and of interest to those who appreciate the more fragile is a
fine Baule Gherke figure from the Ivory Coast, where it was collected
in 1958 by Franco Monti. With a huge monkey-like head topped by
an elaborate headress of fiber, feathers and possible bark, this
is a very powerful work and carries an estimate of $15,000 to
$25,000. The figure's hands hold a cup and the work is not in
pristine condition, which adds to its allure, especially its old
loin cloth and traces of red pigment on the mouth. The work, Lot
143, is dramatic and magical and quite scary. It did not sell.

The highest
estimates, $350,000 to $450,000, are for a Benin bronze plaque,
Lot 163, from around the 16th Century that was collected on the
"British Punitive Expedition to Benin in 1897" by an
officer on the expedition. More than 17 inches high and more than
13 inches wide, the plaque shows two male court officials at the
palace in Benin dressed in full regalia. It sold for $321,000.

Benin bronzes
are exceptional for their craftsmanship and detail, although they
are highly representational and not awesome art. Nevertheless,
they are impressive and this is a fine example that should meet
its estimate although it cannot compare in artistic quality to
the above-mentioned pieces or many others in the auction, such
as Lot 99, a rare Temne female figure holding her breasts with
an spectacular head, that is estimated at only $20,000 to $25,000.
It sold for $35,650.

Just
as some intelligent collector/museum should acquire the Dogan
and Mende statues, some other intelligent collector should get
both of the fine Luba Kifebwe masks, Lots 217 and 218. The former,
shown at the left, is the smaller of the two but carries the higher
estimate, $40,000 to $60,000. The latter is much larger and is
only estimated at $15,000 to $20,000. The former, which has a
wonderful light brown patina, is notable for having nose hair,
and the latter, shown below, is almost white
and is interesting for the incised markings under both eyes. These
are marvelous and should do very well.

Lot 217
did not sell, but Lot 218 sold for $18,400.

Other notable
works in the sale at Lot 214, a Kwele mask that is ambitiously
estimated at $80,000 to $100,000, Lot 215, a Fang female reliquary
guardian figure with considerable amounts of "resinous areas"
that is also ambitiously estimated at $300,000 to $400,000, and
not really as attractive as another resinous Fang guardian figure,
Lot 205, that is estimated at $70,000 to $100,000, and both are
not as interesting as Lot 204, a non-resinous Fang guardian with
many brass adornments that is only estimated at $20,000 to $25,000.
or Lot 149, a fine Baule male figure that carries the same estimate.
Lot 214 did not sell. Lot 215 sold for $310,000. Lot 205 sold
for $68,500. Lot 204 sold for $39,100.

The auction
has a good assortment of works at almost every price level and
many traditional pieces are available.

The results
were rather disappointing, which was unfortunate for the consignors
and good for collectors. Clearly, this sector of the art market
remains rather sober and a great opportunity for connoisseurs
with a bit of money as they can still put together a world-class
collection for not much more than a modest Impressionist painting.